ZOS STUDIES OF NATURE. 



pofed to adopt the Philofophy of this obfcure man, 

 his maxims will be immediately extolled in every - 

 book that is publifhed, and quoted in every aca- 

 demical thefis ; engraved portraits of the Author 

 would decorate every pannel, and his bufb in 

 plafter of Paris grace every chimney; he fliould 

 be an Epidelus^ a Socrates^ a John James RouJJeau. 



But fhould a period come, in which arofe men 

 of as high reputation as thefe, in favour with 

 powerful Princes, whofe intereft it might be, that 

 there (hould be no GOD, and who, in order to 

 make their court to fuch Princes, denied his ex- 

 iftence ; from the fame efFeft of our education, 

 which engaged us to believe in GOD, on the faith 

 of Fenelon, EpidetuSy Socrates, and John James Rouf- 

 feau, we would renounce our belief, on the credit 

 of the others, being men of fuch high confidera- 

 tion, and, befides, fo much nearer to us. It is 

 thus our education warps us : it difpofes us indif- 

 ferently to preach the Gofpel or the Alcoran, ac- 

 cording as our intereft is concerned in the one or 

 in the other. 



Hence arofe this maxim fo univerfal and fo per- 

 nicious : Frimo vivere, de'inde fhilofophari — *' To 

 *' live firft, and feek wifdom afterward." The 

 man who is not ready to give his life in exchange 

 for wifdom, is unworthy of knowing her. Juve- 



naVs 



